Live Life Empowered – Diabetes Prevention

Wed 04 Jul, 2018

Team Griffin, now more than ever we need to live healthier lives and teach our kids that we can have a strong legacy.Physical health and mental health go hand-in hand, and regulating your sugar intake is one of the most important things you can do to take care of your body and your mind.

Compared to the general population, African Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes:

13.2% of all African Americans aged 20 years or older have been diagnosed with diabetes.

African Americans are 1.7 times more likely to have diabetes than non Hispanic whites.

Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of a number of serious, sometimes life-threatening complications, and certain populations experience an even greater threat. Many of us are not even aware that we have diabetes until we develop one of its complications.

Like our elders always said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.So here are 4 actions you can take to protect yourself from getting diabetes:

1. Lay Off Sweets & Processed Foods

From day one evil forces in the food industry have tried to compromise black and brown bodies by feeding us fake “food” low on nutrition and high on pesticides, processed ingredients and other cancer causing chemicals.White sugar, white flour, anything sold in a “box” that is easy to mass produce keeps their shareholders’ pockets fat and our children’s health compromised.

But diabetes prevention isn’t just about avoiding spikes in blood sugar levels. It’s also about minimizing consumption of cheap cooking fats like vegetable oil.Eating 4-5 servings of green leafy vegetables a day is just about the best dietary protection you can give yourself and your family.

So lay off white foods, fried foods, and sugary beverages.Use olive oil to cook your dishes and select brown foods and whole grains for your carbs, (but keep consumption of “good” carbs and fats to a minimum of 2-3 servings per day).

2. Know Your Numbers

Type 2 Diabetes (the kind that affects most African Americans) is preventable, and in many cases reversible with a healthy diet and exercise.But you got to know your numbers and if you are at risk.A regular annual checkup with your doctor is mandatory to know your numbers.

A blood test can show if you are diabetic (or pre-diabetic) so that you can get ahead of the disease before it progresses to other co-morbidities and the loss of life and limb.Knowledge is POWER, so you got to get those checkups in Team Griffin.

3. Teach ‘Em While They’re Young

Our young’uns learn by example, not by empty speeches.So we must be the example our children need to prioritize their mental and physical health.That means stopping bad habits before they set in.

Stop rewarding good grades and good behavior with ice cream cones and fatty foods.An occasional treat is fine, but give non-food rewards too so that their brains don’t associate unhealthy foods with love, acceptance and winning.

4. Moderation is the Key

Yo-yo diets never work.And nobody eats healthy all the time, but If you haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes and you keep it clean 80% of the time, the occasional splurge ain’t gonna kill you.

Preventing disease is so much easier than trying to cure it.So take good care of your body and your body will take good care of you.

2 Comments

Frances Rodriguez

Shared on Facebook Food Revolution Los Angeles page. I have been the volunteer and sole manager since Jamie left me in charge after filming in Los Angeles trying to improve the school food at LAUSD in 2010. I love your comedy but your Facebook page even more. As a mother and wife, we need more men to take a stand for the families and the positive messages you often share inspire me.